Energy management apparatus and energy management method for energy management apparatus for keeping power supply-demand balance of power grid

Abstract

An energy management apparatus comprises: a receiver configured to receive a first charge information and a second charge information, a memory configured to store information on controlling an operation of an electrical appliance provided in a user's facility, and a processor configured to execute the operation of the electrical appliance based on the information stored in the memory. The processor executes the operation of the electrical appliance based on the second charge information if the second charge information has been received. The processor executes the operation of the electrical appliance based on the first charge information if the second charge information has not been received.

1 . An energy management apparatus comprising:
 a receiver configured to receive a first charge information and a second charge information,   a memory configured to store information on controlling an operation of an electrical appliance provided in a user's facility, and   a processor configured to execute the operation of the electrical appliance based on the information stored in the memory, wherein   the processor executes the operation of the electrical appliance based on the second charge information if the second charge information has been received, and   the processor executes the operation of the electrical appliance based on the first charge information if the second charge information has not been received.   
     
     
         2 . The energy management apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the receiver receives the first charge information in a first cycle and receives the second information in a second cycle shorter than the first cycle.   
     
     
         3 . The energy management apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first charge information indicating an electricity value determined based on a past supply-demand gap of electric power and   the second charge information indicating an electricity value determined based on a current supply-demand gap of electric power.   
     
     
         4 . The energy management apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the processor reduces the power consumption of the electrical appliance as the operation based on the first or second charge information.   
     
     
         5 . The energy management apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the processor executes the operation based on energy amount stored in an energy storage provided in the user's facility and the first or second charge information.   
     
     
         6 . The energy management apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the memory stores a table including a correspondence between operation modes of the electrical appliance and thresholds of electricity value, and   the processor executes the operation mode as the operation of the electrical appliance based on a comparison result between the thresholds and the electricity value indicated by the first or second charge information.   
     
     
         7 . The energy management apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the memory stores the table including the correspondence for each of electrical appliances provided in the user's facility.   
     
     
         8 . The energy management apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a transmitter configured to transmit an instruction to the electrical appliance provided in the user's facility, the instruction being determined by the first or second charge information.   
     
     
         9 . The energy management apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first and second charge information are determined based on measured data transmitted from a smart meter provided in the user's facility.   
     
     
         10 . The energy management apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the receiver receives control information including the first or second charge information from a server connected to the energy management apparatus via a network, the control information used for controlling the electrical appliance.   
     
     
         11 . The energy management apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the processor decides an operation mode of the electrical appliance based on acquisition state of the first or second charge information.   
     
     
         12 . The energy management apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the second charge information includes an electrical value lower than an electrical value indicated by the first charge information.   
     
     
         13 . An energy management method for an energy management apparatus comprising:
 (a) receiving a charge information a first charge information and a second charge information,   (b) storing information on controlling an operation of an electrical appliance provided in a user's facility, and   (c) executing the operation of the electrical appliance based on the information stored in the memory, wherein   the step (a) includes executing the operation of the electrical appliance based on the second charge information if the second charge information has been received, and   the step (c) includes controlling the operation of the electrical appliance based on the first charge information if the second charge information has not been received.